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Kiribi I
Kiribi → Monad scanned the barren plains of the Land of Lightning with a frown across his brown. Although he would never say it out loud, there was some kind of admiration on his mind right now, confronted the extent to which the landscape had been deformed under the influence of shinobi techniques. Unfortunately, the party of reinforcements he had been a member of had only managed to arrive just after the end of the war, robbing them of their purpose. The was far away, and no one had blamed them, but the craters and lingering sense of overwhelming chakra to trifle Monad and his squad. They had failed to attend the greatest battle of their time, as if the universe wanted to deliver the message once again that the age of samurai had come to an end a long time ago. While the victors had departed several hours ago, carrying the heroes of war on their shoulders and exclaiming names of shinobi who, despite being unfamiliar in Monad's ears, would undoubtedly appear in the children tales of the coming century. Numerous green flat-jackets still dotted the battlefield, swarming between the blank corpses of the monstrosities the enemy had employed in search of their fallen comrades. The gesture seemed sentimental, but its latent purpose disenchanted most of the romanticism it conveyed. Although the countries had unified against a common enemy, internal strife would soon re-emerge, and the secrets that the body of a common shinobi, not even mentioning those with kekkei genkai, harbored was something none of the Kage would like to see in the hands of one of their acting comrades. The black-haired adolescent warrior luckily had been excused from any kind of search directed towards the Land of Iron's fallen. That task had been left to the servants that had accompanied their group, while he was directed to his familiar spot - at 's right hand. It was a position he had held, voluntarily or not, for three years. The old geezer was scouting the aftermath of the battle with the same observant gaze as Monad, although the protegee could not discern what was transpiring behind his bandaged forehead. The fact that he had been summoned, despite the lack of purpose for his presence, mad made him suspicious. When the old man suddenly turned his head and recorded Monad's presence, his hand almost slipped in the direction of Hajikukare. It was an act of treason to draw one's blade against his master, but the atmosphere was so unsettling his hand hand reacted out of pure drill. A faint smile danced in the wrinkled skin around Mifune's lips, and he gestured Monad to follow him, away from the masked shinobi destroying the chakra networks of those bearing the same hitai-ate. Before a samurai goes into war, his family holds his funeral. His memory is laid to rest, his family and loved ones grieve, and he is dead for all purposes. All but the purpose of battle. What is left to fear? He is already dead. The only thing to gain or lose is grace and dignity in the face of an inevitable death. The samurai is now unbound by attachments and fears of pain, loss, or death, and he fights with an unmatched fearlessness and fierceness. That was the way every soldier of the Land of Iron had followed, so the only cries audible within their camp where those of joy. This was certainly not the case with the weak-hearted shinobi, some acting in such a manner one could almost believe they had been on the losing side of combat. Flanked by men shouting for liquor on one side and women lamenting their losses on his other, Monad escorted Mifune through the coastal camp of one of the participating villages. Although he had been educated in the emblems of the Hidden Villages, that knowledge seemed to slip his mind when he gaze upon the four wavy lines imprinted upon the flag waving slothfully in the ocean breeze. The gray-haired general knelt down in the largest tent within the encampment, mirroring the position of a red-haired young woman dressed in a provocative blue dress. She was flanked by a single haired figure similarly seated a step behind her, a boy who looked like he all but belonged in a battleground like this. "Her son, perhaps?" Monad pondered upon the thought for a second, but quickly let it sail, as in the event that she was married, he saw little reason for her husband not to be present. He lowered himself at Mifune's right side, also leaving an appropriate distance, facing the kid with a stern gaze. His glasses quivered under Monad's glances. "Mizukage-sama" Mifune's voice was formal and without affection, as was hers when she addressed him with "Taishō-sama". Monad had presumed the General's visit would be concerning private matters, but seeing their set attitudes this quickly seemed unlikely. "What matter is urgent enough that it cannot be delayed after the celebrations?" He also noticed the Mizukage had suffered grievous wounds, scorch and burn marks traveling down her neck and disappearing in her sizable cleavage. From the way she twitched when she planted weight on her left leg, it was also clear that she must have suffered wounds there and bandages peeked through the fishnet brim of her back. Mifune commented on them, but the redhead brushed his worries aside, saying that she had been blessed with a plentiful dose of luck and that it had been nothing the medical corps couldn't handle. "I'm here on behalf of the matter you addressed to me during the Kage Council." After having given each other consolations on behalf of the losses their countries had suffered, Mifune finally touched upon the true intentions behind their visitation. "I have summoned one of my swords who I believe will serve you and your village to his utmost capabilities." It took Monad a few moments before he realized that the General was talking about him, and a few second more what he was actually talking about. "Serving a shinobi? And a woman at that? Mifune-taishō cannot mean this." His back felt strangely light without the nōdachi that was usually strapped to it, but it would be considered extremely rude and even threatening to carry weapons when visiting the private quarters of a country's leader. How he wished that he had left his prized blade in the hands of that pockmarked guard. Noticing the young samurai's shocked and flat-out offended expression, the Mizukage's softened and her voice reached out to him with a gentle tone. "Let me explain. Kirigakure, and by extent - the Land of Water, have been in turmoil ever since they were founded. I intend to change this, to create a unified country, but I'm afraid there are many who would rather not see that happen. I find it hard to trust even my elite forces, so I inquired Mifune-taishō about a bodyguard. Considering the neutral position of the Land of Iron towards the , it was the most reliable way of acquiring a trustworthy bodyguard." Monad's eyebrows knitted together and made him transcend from shock to confusion. "Why would taishō recommend ''me for this kind of assignment? He knows my history with shinobi."'' The warm body language of the Mizukage somewhat soothed his reluctance, but not to the point of a certain answer when she asked: "Are you okay with this, kenshi-kun?" Monad's pupils flashed in Mifune direction, but his impressive goatee was still hidden from sight, his eyes pointing towards the Mizukage even though her attention was directed at Monad. "My opinion is of no importance in this situation, Mizukage-sama. If Mifune-taishō commands me to, I will serve you." He lowered his body from in seiza until his forehead touched the earth. "My blade has been taken from me when I entered, but I assure you it is yours from this day until my day of death." The Mizukage chuckled at the display of obedience and turned back to Mifune. "My, my, you samurai really know how to train your boys. And he is quite handsome, too." Now she bowed for Mifune, although not nearly as deep as Monad had done. "The Land of Water recognizes your efforts and will be sure to reward you for them, Mifune-taishō. You are excused." Mifune displayed his respect before standing up and walking out of the tent. Monad moved too, more out of habit than anything, but Mifune stopped him. "Your place is here, from now on. I will see to it that your assets are delivered." Monad nodded and returned to seiza. Now that Mifune had left, an uncomfortable silence had fallen between the azure walls of the tent. Her blue-haired subordinate had not spoken yet, although he seemed to have trouble maintaining a motionless position. The Mizukage called for sake and motioned for Monad to come closer. A bit shiftless, Monad shuffled to where Mifune had been seated, unsure of with which expression he should answer the Mizukage's playful smile. As she poured a cup of alcohol and offered it to him, she asked for his name. "I am Monad, Mizukage-sama." Her eyebrows raised slightly as she brought her own cup to her lips and emptied it in one fell swoop. "No family name?" Monad stared down at his cup of sake in hesitation, unsure what the customs for drinking alcohol were in the shinobi tradition. "I am..." He searched for a proper translation of the term for a while, but could not find one that conveyed the entire message. "Sayanai, Mizukage-sama" She nodded, apparently familiar with the expression. As she turned around and loudly proclaimed that the blue-haired should come and learn how to drink like a proper man, Monad's thoughts wandered off. Sayanai. Sheathless. That was what he was. Without clan, without school, without honor. A naked blade that threatened to cut anything that came near it. When he was first approached with the term, he had punished anyone who dared to utilize it, but eventually the shame had evaporated. Those who are given a second chance after their criminal lives, a second chance that consisted of the honorable life of a great warrior, had little reason to complain. Not that he considered his acts criminal, but... "Monad-kun?" The brand new bodyguard was pulled back to the present by the sound of his new superior's voice and the sight of the young boy she had pulled towards her. "This is -kun. He is a member of the and one of the many heroes of this war." Monad could barely suppress a smirk. That scrawny kid, a swordsman? And then that furious red blush when the Mizukage pulled him close against her curvy body and dangled a cup of sake before his face. Sure, there was no denying she was an attractive woman, but a kenshi who could not even keep his private and professional matters apart was hardly worth keeping in service. Needless to say, Monad's first impression of the Mizukage's protegee was less than positive. ---- The crimson flower bloomed alone for a second before it was joined by a green one. Purple sparks scattered between the stars before four navy blue rockets shot up in cohesion and lit up the darkness with the symbol of the city. Although she had expressed her grief when she heard of the Chief Elder's passing during her leave, the Mizukage seemed to have shed all negative feelings in this cocoon of warmth and enthusiasm, walking through the festival with nothing of the formality her position or family name normally required. She laughingly responded to each vendor praising his goods, bent through her knee for each kid that came dashing at her and politely rejected the advances of all men (and women), sober or not, who lauded her. Monad wasn't at ease, not even in the slightest. They moved through the crowd like waterdrops through a mountain creek, packed and atrociously slow. To him, every gentle hand, every flower thrown, every smile or shout of content could cover a knife or an explosive tag. Although he had agreed to the job without much of any doubt and had been informed of his duties during the extensive boat trip, he at least expected his new boss to carry some form of suspicion towards her surroundings, given that he had been hired because of it. The sea of potential enemies the Mizukage so casually had taken a plunge in gave him a headache, although he was well-aware of the masked shinobi trailing the both of them from the shadows. Without sparing the perpetrator a single glance, Monad slapped away a hand fiddling at his pouch. He had no time for pick-pockets, not while he was getting a bad case of professional claustrophobia that worsened with each passing second. He could not draw let alone wield Hajikukare without reducing Kirigakure's population by a solid seventeen, and from the intel he had received regarding the Mizukage's capabilities she wouldn't be able to inflict any major damage on any assailant with that much innocent people around her either. The presence of the ANBU was supposed to comfort him a bit in that regard, but since the Mizukage had expressed her doubt regarding their loyalty during their first meeting, that option was shady at best. When Mei (During their trip across the ocean, the Mizukage had finally given away her full name, although the arising of a situation where such information would be important to Monad was both unlikely and unfitting) stopped at a yakimono stand and sweetly asked for two portions of yellowtail teriyaki. Monad observed the man with daggers in his eyes, carefully watching if his hands never lingered too long, that he never hesitated while distributing an ingredient, that nothing bulged under his sleeves when he stirred the skewers. Even still, Monad snatched both portions out of the vendor's hands once they were finished, tasting both of them for poison before handing one over to Mei. She flashed a lovely smile at the balding man and gave him what she owed, before pulling Monad by his sleeve, back into the slowly-moving crowd. "You should loosen up a bit, Monad-kun! Look at all these people in high spirits! The war is won, this is no time to be gloomy." Monad sighed as he took a bite out of his teriyaki. Over the few weeks he had already spent as the Mizukage's bodyguard, he had already gotten used to her touchy-feely attitude (and unlike the Chōjūrō kid, wasn't moved by it in the slightest), he could not help but feel nettled whenever Mei's cheerful demeanor crossed the border between happy and idiotic. "It is my job not to loosen up, Mizukage-sama. Besides, I did not have any part in the war, besides my allegiance to you during the aftermath." The Mizukage's crimson locks waved through the air as she laughed again and turned towards a stand at the other side of the people-river. "Turtle-fishing! I haven't done that since I was a kid!" The frivolous leader of the land dashed through the crowd, in her enthusiasm abandoning the bodyguard she had gone through such lengths for. Monad nearly choked on the last bits of his food when he saw her disappear and immediately followed. But the crowd was too great and carving a way through it felt like holding back a monster ten times his size. With one hand outstretched in an effort to catch her robes who vanished and re-appeared between the faceless goons and the other pushing and pulling wherever he can, Monad shouted for her boss to wait up. He couldn't possibly be failing at his job during the first real test of his abilities? Fate continued to tease him with glimpses of the person he had been tasked to protect no matter what the costs, as she danced through the crowd with as much grace as Monad was putting effort into it. He saw her kneeling down again, opening her palms to the little hands of an auburn-haired girl. He could see her laughing and cheerfully commenting on whatever the girl had given her, although he could not hear it above the chatter buzzing through the air. "Mizukage-sama!" His throat felt dry and raspy. People continued to walk undisturbed past their leader and the little girl, like a river folding itself around a rock. Monad's eyes darted from face to face, looking for any evil intention in the eyes of the bystanders. Eventually he reached her. "Mizukage-sama...!" Monad panted as if he had just ran a marathon. The redhead looked up and proudly presented a hand-made bracelet. "Look at this cute flower pattern, Monad-kun. This little girl made it all by herself!" She turned back to the kid and began to ask her where her parents were, but Monad's attention was already somewhere else. His exhaustion lessening, his hand fumbled under his cloak when suddenly-. "Mizukage-sama!" Monad pushed the Mizukage and the kid into the safety net of onlooking people when he saw a glint of metal in the man who had been standing behind her. With a foul grin the man charged at Monad, the gaze that had lingered on the hilt of his massive sword confident with the fact he would not have the time or space to properly utilize it. His assurance quickly wavered, however, when his pronged kunai was met with the shining blade of a katana, courtesy of Monad who had conjured it from under his robe. The assassin gritted his teeth, not having expected Monad to have a second blade on him and threw his kunai upwards, ending their deadlock. Slipping under Monad's arm, he launched himself at the Mizukage, madness in his eyes. The samurai caught the man by his collar and forced him on his knees. The crowd had pushed itself into a circle around them, with the Mizukage shielding the little girl at its border. Now that the threat had been subdued, she fashioned herself, stood up and walked towards her assailant. All of the playfulness had been evaporated from her features. Three ANBU knelt within the circle, responding with the required "Hai, Mizukage-sama!" when she ordered them to take the man away for further questioning. Monad sheathed his blade and moved to pull the assassin on his feet, when he suddenly remarked a gleam of white on his chest. Without hesitation, he ripped the man's shirt from his chest, revealing it to be plastered with explosive tags. The people around them screamed and began to push each other away in an attempt to get away from the suicide bomber. The three ANBU yelled something that was lost to Monad's ears in the ruckus, but it took only an instant for them to begin clapping the hand seals for a barrier to contain the explosion. Mei joined in, desperately trying to remember the correct order from her carefree childhood. "Ox, hare - no fuck, dragon. Oh god, now I wish I had paid attention during those barrier classes." The panic crept further up her body when the seals started glowing in unison - the barrier would not be erected in time to contain the full force of the eruption. Considering the amount of seals and the heap of people that had gathered, the death toll would be devastating. With that thought haunting her, she desperately poured every inch of chakra she had in forming the barrier. But still, it- With one smooth, uninterrupted motion, Monad unsheathed the gigantic blade from his back and cleaved the assassin from shoulder to hip. The glow on the seals faded away slowly as two halves of criminal flesh fell down on the pavement. The ANBU were dumbfounded, the crude barrier sputtered for a second and then died off. Mei was flabbergasted and found herself staring in utter perplexion at the blood that dripped down Monad's sword. The nōdachi had holes drilled down its length, and the red liquid spiraled around the edges, forming eights as it traveled down to the earth. Monad found a cloth in his back pocket and cleaned his sword before sheathing it once again. The ANBU returned to their unemotional attitude and secured the corps for examination, as the Mizukage walked over to the little girl who had been one of the few to stay in her position and assured her that everything was alright now. Slowly, the mass of people started to come back. Some of them in anguish, complaining about the state of the country, others teasing their friends about their frightened reactions, others staring at Monad as if he had attempted to murder their leader, murmuring things to each other. The Mizukage walked over to her bodyguard, having uncovered her smile again. Monad resumed his silence and distrustful attitude, commenting that it might be a better idea for her to return to her chambers for the night. To his surprise, she agreed to the proposition. As they made their way back to house of Terumī, where Monad had been given a room himself, Mei turned to him one last time before retreating for the night. "My, my, that's one interesting sword you have there, Monad-kun." With a mischievous smile, she wished him goodnight and closed the sliding door.